Hart & Hustle Podcast

Hart & Hustle delivers real conversations with nonprofit and healthcare leaders who are scaling mission-driven impact through strategic innovation. Hosted by Efrain Lozada, each 45-minute episode explores leadership, operations, technology adoption, and practical strategies for mission-based organizations. Learn from executives who've transformed accessibility, efficiency, and community engagement while staying true to their values. For nonprofit directors, operations leaders, and healthcare innovators who hustle with heart. New episodes weekly.

Hart & Hustle Podcast is a business podcast hosted by Keenan Hart, with 407 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Keenan Hart hosts Hart & Hustle Podcast, a business show with 407 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #414

  How a Learning Disability Became His Greatest Strength

  Aug 19, 202630 minS1

  This is a story about turning struggle into service - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from someone who has spent more than 20 years helping students navigate uncertainty, pressure, and possibility.Efrain sits down with Lester Deanes, Associate Vice President for Students and Dean of Students at the University of San Francisco, for a conversation that goes far beyond campus life. Lester opens up about the professors who poured into him, the learning disability he once hid, the school he helped launch in San Jose, and the personal moments that shaped how he shows up for students today. In this conversation, you'll learn: How Lester leads students through financial stress, housing concerns, and difficult life transitions with honesty and dignity Why he says succession planning, leadership buy-in, and funding cushions are essential when building something that lasts How he turned a learning disability and years of self-doubt into strength, confidence, and a speaking career What it means to support people without trying to control their path Why AI may change the process, but human connection still does the real work This episode is for mission-driven leaders, people-first managers, and educators who want to build trust, support growth, and lead in a way that actually reaches people.Lester's story is a reminder that the best leaders do not just solve problems - they help people feel seen while they figure things out. He also shares how his parents, especially his mother, shaped his belief that nobody should ever feel alone, and why that lesson still drives the way he leads, teaches, and parents today. ABOUT LESTER DEANES: Lester Deanes is Associate Vice President for Students and Dean of Students at the University of San Francisco, where he supports students through academic, financial, and personal challenges. He also teaches student development theory and brings more than two decades of experience in education, leadership, and mentorship. ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization.Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis#NonprofitLeadership #EducationLeadership #MissionDrivenLeadership

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  Episode #413

  How a Bronx Nonprofit Is Replacing Punishment With Belonging

  Aug 18, 202638 minS1

  This is the story of how a Bronx-based leader turns lived experience, family support, and youth leadership into a practical alternative to punishment - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from that approach. Belinda Ramos, Executive Director of Community Connections for Youth, has spent years helping young people and families break the cycle that too often leads into the justice system. What makes her perspective powerful is that she has lived the stakes herself - losing parents young, navigating family separation, and later building a career around the kind of support that can change a life. In this conversation, you'll learn: Why early intervention matters more than waiting for a crisis to escalate How a "third space" can give young people and parents the support their homes and schools may not provide What it looks like to build trust through relationship-first, after-hours access Why lived experience can be a leadership strength, not a liability How youth and family programming can create long-term protective factors, not just short-term diversion This episode is for mission-driven leaders who want to strengthen participant engagement, build deeper community trust, and create programs that meet people where they are. Belinda also shares how her organization works with parents as central partners, not bystanders, and why that shift changes everything. You'll hear how Community Connections for Youth operates with referrals from probation, schools, families, and even other agencies trying to prevent issues from reaching a judge. Belinda also breaks down what it takes to serve hundreds of young people and families each year while staying rooted in the Bronx and focused on one clear goal: keep the organization strong enough to keep showing up for the community.Just as important, she explains why funding, stability, and youth-led programming are not side issues - they're the conditions that make lasting impact possible. If you're leading a nonprofit, mentoring young people, or trying to build something that actually changes outcomes, this episode gives you a grounded look at what real care looks like in practice.Perfect for anyone who believes prevention should feel human, not bureaucratic. ABOUT BELINDA RAMOS: Belinda Ramos is the Executive Director of Community Connections for Youth, where she leads work focused on disrupting the pipeline into the youth justice system through community-rooted support. She has been with the organization for more than a decade and stepped into the executive role in 2023 after serving in earlier leadership positions. Organization Website: https://www.cc-fy.org/ Instagram: @CC4Y #NonprofitLeadership #YouthDevelopment #CommunityImpact

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  Episode #412

  What It Really Takes to Build a Nonprofit Like a Business

  Aug 17, 202637 minS1

  Sherah Alaimo from Coach Across America shares how she builds a mission-driven organization like a real business without losing the human side.This is the story of going from burnout and disaster recovery work to leading a national coaching platform - and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Sherah is the COO of Coach Across America, where she helps place and train coaches in communities across the country. In this conversation, she breaks down the leadership lessons that shaped her path, the mistakes that changed how she sees work, and the operating principles behind an organization serving thousands of young people. You'll discover: Why she learned early that you should not give your life to a job How authentic leadership changes depending on the audience, role, and setting What it really takes to rebuild trust and lead after disaster recovery work Why listening, curiosity, and learning matter more than trying to look like the perfect leader How Coach Across America supports young adults while serving youth through sports-based coaching This episode is for mission-driven leaders, nonprofit operators, and people managers who need to scale impact without burning out their team or losing sight of the mission.Sherah also shares the reality behind her work in New Orleans after Katrina, including the challenge of leading as a young woman in a city rebuilding from trauma. She talks honestly about the tension between good intentions and cultural understanding, and why experience, humility, and time can completely change how you see leadership.We also get into the business side of nonprofit leadership - fundraising, government funding, staffing, and why nonprofits have to think like the safety net they are. Sherah makes the case that strong mission work depends on strong operations, and that the best organizations do not separate purpose from performance.Perfect for anyone who leads people, builds programs, or wants a clearer view of how community impact actually scales. If you care about leadership that is practical, honest, and built to last, this one is worth your time. ABOUT SHERAH ALAIMO: Sherah Alaimo is the COO of Coach Across America, where she helps lead a national network that places and supports coaches in communities across the U.S. She has deep experience in nonprofit leadership, disaster response, youth development, and operational strategy. Coach Across America: https://coachacrossamerica.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherah-alaimo-2434a411/ ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts Keenan Hart and Efrain sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization.Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. CONNECT WITH US: FRANSiS™ Website: https://fransis.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis #NonprofitLeadership #MissionDrivenLeadership #YouthDevelopment

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  Episode #411

  How a Health Center Reaches Thousands by Meeting People Where They Are

  Aug 12, 202636 minS1

  Stacie Eastman from Eastern Iowa Health Center shares how she helps turn mission into real access, real trust, and real care. This episode is for mission-driven leaders, healthcare operators, and nonprofit teams who want to expand impact without losing the human side of the work. Stacie Eastman is the Director of Development at Eastern Iowa Health Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she raises awareness and resources for a federally qualified health center serving a five-county region. She also co-hosts the PowerPosse podcast, where she helps women tell the stories that shape who they are and what they've overcome. What you'll hear in this episode: 0:00 - Why Iowa has more food stories than people expect 3:34 - What Stacie actually does as Director of Development 4:14 - Serving a community where many patients live below the poverty line 5:21 - How a nonlinear career path becomes a strength 8:50 - Why liberal arts and writing sharpen grant strategy 11:47 - Building confidence through podcasting and voice work 18:24 - The PowerPosse podcast and the power of reinvention 21:01 - Expanding care through pediatrics, dental, behavioral health, and pharmacy 24:12 - A dental emergency that helped protect sobriety 27:34 - How EIHC communicates through texting, Facebook, and bus-route outreach 31:35 - Stacie's question for the next leader The bigger lesson here is simple: sustainable impact comes from clarity, not noise. When an organization knows who it serves, how those people actually communicate, and what barriers they face, it can stop guessing and start building something that truly lasts. If you care about healthcare access, nonprofit growth, or leading with more authenticity, this one is worth your time. Stacie's perspective is practical, thoughtful, and deeply grounded in service. Organization Website: www.easterniowahealthcenter.com Stacie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacie-eastman-2197b711b/ The PowerPosse Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-power-posse-podcast/id1830925840 ABOUT HART & HUSTLE: Hart & Hustle brings you weekly conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Every week, hosts sit down with nonprofit executives, operations directors, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can implement in your organization. Subscribe for weekly insights on nonprofit leadership, operations, and scaling mission impact. Connect with us: FRANSiS Website: https://fransis.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis #NonprofitLeadership #HealthcareAccess #MissionDrivenLeadership

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  Episode #410

  The Y Is Not a Gym—It’s a Community Engine

  Aug 10, 202631 minS1

  Derryck Fletcher from the Y in Central Maryland shares how he helps scale a mission-driven organization without losing the human connection that makes it matter. This is the story of building community at scale, leading with people first, and turning data, talent, and trust into real impact, and what mission-driven leaders can learn from it. Efrain and Derryck get into the realities of operating a $115 million organization serving hundreds of thousands of people across Central Maryland, from early childhood and school-age programs to health, workforce development, and community belonging. Derryck also opens up about how a banking and call-center background taught him the kind of leadership skills he still uses today, even if the mission is very different now. In this conversation, you'll learn why leading people first is a leadership skill, not a soft skill, how the Y uses data and continuous quality improvement to make better decisions, why AI should buy back time for back-office work rather than replace human service, what most people get wrong about the Y, from swim and gym assumptions to nonprofit money myths, and how hiring people smarter than you can become a real operating advantage. TIMESTAMPS 0:00 Derryck Fletcher, COO of the Y in Central Maryland 1:13 How a random job search turned into a 13-year career 3:37 What the COO role looks like across a large mission-driven system 6:51 Banking, call centers, and lessons from the corporate world 10:20 Leading people first and building trust on your team 12:05 Learning from a CEO who shifted the organization's trajectory 14:29 Why deep expertise beats generalist hiring 16:19 The role of data in a $115 million operating budget 17:45 How AI is changing back-office work without replacing people 20:08 What makes the Y in Central Maryland different 22:48 The biggest myths people believe about the Y 26:59 How to find the right program, class, or service for your needs 28:17 Three ways to support your local Y 30:23 Legacy, leadership, and what matters most at home ABOUT DERRYCK FLETCHER Derryck Fletcher is the Chief Operating Officer at the Y in Central Maryland, where he helps oversee a broad portfolio that includes early childhood education, youth development, community health, and talent strategy. He brings a rare mix of operational discipline, people-first leadership, and hard-won perspective from earlier roles in banking and call-center management. ABOUT HART & HUSTLE Hart & Hustle brings you conversations with mission-driven leaders solving real problems in healthcare, education, and community services. Hosts Efrain and the Hart & Hustle team sit down with nonprofit executives, operators, and innovators to uncover practical strategies you can use to strengthen your own organization. The Y in Central Maryland: https://ymaryland.org/ CONNECT WITH US FRANSiS Website: https://fransis.ai LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromfransis #NonprofitLeadership #MissionDrivenLeadership #CommunityImpact

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